The Road Home
by iloveromance
Summary: When Niles receives the devastating news that his father has passed, away, there's only one way to break the news to his brother. Written in loving memory of John Mahoney who gave us the greatest gift in bringing Martin Crane to life.
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Who knew that driving home from work down a very long road that never seemed to end would lead to this? Story ideas come from the most amazing places.**_

He should have known that something was wrong when he heard the soft knock on his office door, followed by the sound of the door opening. He looked up in surprise. It wasn't like Mrs. Woodson to enter his office unannounced. But the expression on her face told him that she had a very good reason for acting out of character.

"Mrs. Woodson, whatever it is, can you come back later? I really need to finish these notes on Mr. Larson. His schizophrenia has gotten progressively worse."

But instead of doing as he asked, she simply stood there, grim-faced, her eyes brimming with tears. Concerned, he put down his pen. And he was even more concerned when she took his hand.

"Brayburn Manor is on the phone."

He swallowed hard, taking note of the way she gently squeezed his hand. "Thank you." He replied, his voice suddenly unrecognizable to his own ears. He didn't have to ask her why they were calling. He knew. He glanced at the calendar on his wall, etching the date in his mind. February 4th, a date that he would remember for the rest of his life.

"I'll see that you're not disturbed." Mrs. Woodson said, quietly closing the door behind her.

Alone in his office, he stared at the phone. The flashing red light that indicated that he had a call waiting for him matched the pace of his heart. His slender fingers trembled as he reached out and picked up the phone, pushing the button. The receiver to his ear he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"H-hello? I-I mean, this is Dr. Niles Crane speaking."

 _"Dr. Crane, this is Cynthia."_ The familiar voice was unsteady, a sure sign that she'd been crying. And it could only mean one thing.

"Cynthia." He repeated, not really knowing why.

 _"I'm calling about your father."_ She said. He knew this of course, but when he blinked, his eyes welled with yet unshed tears and his heart skipped a nervous beat.

Suddenly he was terrified about what she was going to say.

"Yes."

He barely heard her next words. _"He's gone."_

For a moment he couldn't move. He could barely even breathe. But while his body was motionless, his mind was racing like a freight train, trying to compare the words that she'd spoken. They were words that he hadn't really heard and yet, his heart heard them loud and clear. His mind, meanwhile continued to race, taunting him at every chance, filling his head with things he hadn't said to his father but meant to, things he had said, but shouldn't have, things he'd wanted to say, but had been afraid to say, things he wanted to ask his father but didn't. Things he should have done, but didn't, things he'd done, but wished he hadn't… it was a never ending cycle.

Why hadn't he taken his father in when Frasier asked him to do so? Maris of course would have objected but he could have stood his ground. If only he'd stood his ground years earlier, things would have been very different.

 _"Dr. Crane, are you still there?"_ Cynthia's voice broke into his thoughts.

"When?" he replied in a voice that once again he did not recognize.

She sniffled. _"Um, just a few minutes ago. I-I wanted to call you as soon as possible."_

He nodded, as though Cynthia was in the same room with him instead of calling him from six miles away. Six miles…. If he had just gone to visit his dad that morning instead of rushing to work to check on Mr. Larson's medication list-

The tears that welled in his eyes began to make their way down his cheeks.

 _Damn…_

 _"Dr. Crane?"_

"Yes?"

 _"I-."_

"Oh yes, Thank you for calling, Cynthia. I appreciate it."

 _"I'm so sorry."_ She said after a long silence.

"Thank you." he said again as though it was the only word he knew.

 _"Um, look, I know we talked about the arrangements, before, but-."_

"Yes, I'll contact you soon. M-my family-."

 _"Of course. We'll prepare the paperwork and details here. Take all the time you need and give your brother and your family our condolences."_

"Thank you Cynthia. I will."

Woodenly he hung up the phone without saying goodbye, feeling as though he was watching the sad scenario in the form of a movie. It couldn't be happening but his heart hurt so much that he knew it was painfully real. With a deep shuddered sigh, he turned off his computer, the medications and Mr. Larson all but forgotten.

Seconds later he turned off his computer and the office light and then went to the door. When he entered the lobby, Mrs. Woodson stood at once.

He couldn't look at her. The sympathetic gaze he knew she was wearing would have shattered him.

Although she spoke no words, she went to him and gave him a soothing hug. "I'm so sorry." Her words were quiet and for a moment he imagined that she was his mother, speaking the comforting words.

He could only nod in response and he felt like a small boy, the way she was gently rubbing his back.

"Thank you."

"If there's anything I can do, I-."

Their eyes met and she nodded. "Of course I'll take care of everything. Dr. Marshall will be happy to take on your patients while you're gone. Do you know when you'll be back?"

"I-I don't-."

"Of course you don't, how insensitive of me. What's wrong with me today? Oh Dear, now I'm crying too. Forgive me, Dr. Crane."

He reached into his pocket and offered her his handkerchief, to which she smiled sadly, but gratefully.

"Thank you. Now look, take all the time you need, all right?"

Wordlessly he nodded, barely aware of the way she kissed his cheek. She lingered in the office a bit longer than he, although he wasn't sure why.

Once he was safely inside his Mercedes, he put his finger on the ignition button to start the car, but his hand dropped to his side and he leaned his head against the headrest as he grieved for the man he loved so much and had lost so suddenly.


	2. Chapter 2

Emotionally drained, Niles started the car and slowly began to make his way home. As he drove, he became painfully aware of his surroundings. Many of them reminded him in some way of his father. After all, his father, like Niles, had lived his entire life in the Emerald City, the jewel of the Pacific Northwest. The memories ranged from the simple, such as the less than acceptable grocery store that Niles visited one December 22nd in the hopes of finding exactly what his father wanted; a case of Ballantine Beer, to the more painful, like the convenience store where a bullet from a criminal had changed his father's life (and Niles' as well) forever.

For the longest time, Niles wasn't sure if he should berate the man who shot his father or thank him. As crazy as it sounded, had his father not gotten shot, Niles was certain that he would have never known the existence of Daphne Moon. He shuddered at the thought of never having met her. Oh how much joy he would have lost. As expected, he found himself brushing away tears, trying to avoid eye contact with any passing motorists.

Had he not been so upset about the memory of buying his father a case of Ballantine Beer, he might have laughed. He knew from experience, both his own and the advice he gave his patients, that memories that brought laughter were good for dealing with grief. But he could not even make himself smile.

The closer he came to The Montana, the more the memories flooded him. Every restaurant, store, house and even a few parks (especially dog parks) brought a pain to his heart as he remembered them all. He passed the elementary, junior high and high schools where he and Frasier each endured twelve agonizing years of ridicule. But somehow, if they got into real trouble, Martin Crane was there to save them. Of course the rescue was not without a lecture or two after they finally arrived home.

By the time he pulled into the garage of the Montana, his throat felt tight and his heart hurt even worse than before. He climbed out of his car and took a deep painful breath, blinking back the tears that blurred his vision.

He walked into the building. His heart rate increased, along with his nervousness. But not even the sight of George, the doorman who was always so kind (and reminded him so much of the dearly missed Morrie who used to greet him at the Elliott Bay Towers) could put a smile on Niles' face.

Instead of seeking out George to say hello as he usually did, Niles avoided him completely. He couldn't risk an emotional breakdown before he broke the news to Daphne. And he said a silent prayer of thanks to the woman who distracted George by asking him a simple question.

Niles took the opportunity to make his way to the elevator without being seen. He pushed the button for the top floor and while he rode, he ran his fingers along the mahogany walls of the elevator. He'd ridden in this elevator with his father hundreds of times before, most of them in silence, but a few meaningful conversations had taken place. Conversations that he would remember for the rest of his life.

Niles pursed his lips as the tears came again. He was dangerously close to losing his composure completely but as fate would have it, the elevator stopped and the doors opened. He was almost home.

His hand trembled so badly that he could barely get the key into the lock. When he was finally able to do so, he stepped inside greeted almost immediately by the love of his life. She walked toward him like a lovely breeze and looking so beautiful, even in her casual clothing.

"Niles, this is a surprise!" She said, taking him into her arms for a kiss. "I just put David down for his nap, and-."

"Where is he?"'

Her eyebrows rose in confusion. "I just said he's taking his nap, so he's in his room where he always-."

"I need to see him."

"What? Now? But Niles-."

He made a beeline for the stairs, determined to see his son if only for a few minutes. He needed to see David at the moment more than ever before. He had barely reached the landing when he was stopped by Daphne's hand in his.

"What's wrong? You're acting really strange."

"Why? Because I want to see my son? How can that possibly be considered strange to you?"

He regretted his harsh tone and the way he'd snapped at her immediately and before she had time to react, he took her into his arms and kissed her deeply. "I'm sorry, my love. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I-."

"It's all right." She whispered against his mouth. "I'm sorry too. It's just that it took me a long time to get him to sleep. He was fussy and with any luck he'll sleep for a few hours."

"No. I need to see him right away."

He continued moving up the stairs and then made his way down the hallway, all the while avoiding her gaze. When they paused at the nursery, Niles tried not to look her in the eyes; God how hard he tried. But she was just so beautiful; there was no way he would be able to stop looking at her now. He gently cupped her chin in his hand rubbing his thumb against her soft skin.

"I love you so much. I hope you know that. I don't tell you nearly enough."

She smiled and tilted her head just enough to lean into his hand and bring her lips to his palm. "Yes you do. You tell me more than necessary."

"Nonsense. I could never tell you enough."

"Niles, are you all right? You're scaring me. Can't we just go in our room and talk for a bit?"

"No. I need to see David. Please."

"Well…"

He opened the door and his heart warmed at the sight of the warmly decorated nursery with its Winnie the Pooh motif that Daphne had insisted upon. He would have preferred something more sophisticated, like quotes from Shakespeare or his favorite operas painted on the wall, but now he realized that Daphne had been right to in her decision. The room was absolutely beautiful and would have been the envy of every child.

They'd hired a professional who designed the nursery so that it would grow with David, transitioning it into a toddler room and finally a young boy. But Niles didn't want to think of the day that David was no longer a baby. From the moment he had received that phone call from Brayburn Manor, he knew he had to cherish every moment.

Against Daphne's whispered protests, Niles reached into the crib and lifted David into his arms. Startled awake, the baby began to cry, prompting Niles to cradle him against his chest.

"My sweet boy." Niles whispered, kissing his son's soft head of barely-there hair. He almost chuckled. Like father like son.

He held David close to him and quietly paced the room, aware of Daphne watching him. Although David's cries quickly quieted, and he went back to sleep against Niles' chest, Niles continued to walk back and forth.

"I love you, David." Niles said his voice dangerously close to breaking. "I love you so much. And I want you to know that you can be whatever you want to be. I promise I'll support you no matter what. Even if you want to be a football player. Grandpa would have loved that, wouldn't he?"

It was the word Grandpa that finally broke Niles' composure and before he knew what was happening. Daphne was lifting David out of his arms.

"Here, let me take him." She said softly. She kissed David's cheek and returned him to his crib and then covered him with a blanket.

Niles hand slipped into hers and together they walked out of the nursery, turning out the light on the way. A million tiny stars illuminated the room, making it look like heaven. The irony was not lost on him. Perhaps it was a sign. He never believed in such nonsense but now he was beginning to reconsider the possibility.

"I love you, Dad. I'll miss you forever." Niles whispered brokenly. He glanced at the scene only for a moment before he felt Daphne pull him into the hallway and softly closed the door.


	3. Chapter 3

In the hallway, he took a deep breath, blinking back tears. Why did this have to happen? Why? David was still a baby. His father would never get to see David grow up; never be able to hold him again. His father was so proud the day he'd become a grandfather. He'd always told Niles and Daphne that he didn't mind if the baby was a boy or a girl, but Niles knew better. A boy was what Martin really wanted; a boy to carry on the Crane name. But Niles knew that his father would have loved a granddaughter just as much. He swallowed hard, unable to believe that there was one less Crane in the world.

The door to the nursery opened and he whirled around to see Daphne standing in the hallway. "Well, he's sound asleep so there was no harm done. But Niles, I still wish you would tell me-." She froze, regarding him carefully. "Niles? what is it? What's wrong?"

Wordlessly he took her hand and led her into the bedroom, despite her protests.

"Sit." He said, gesturing to the bed.

Daphne did as he asked. "All right. What's gong on?"

He sat down beside her and took her hands in his, bringing them to his lips. "Daphne, you know that I love you more than anyone in the world, right?"

"Yes of course. And I love you, Niles. But-."

"And I will always be grateful to Dad for convincing Frasier to hire you."

She smiled. "So will I."

He continued to stare at her and brushed the fallen locks of hair from her head. "You're so beautiful."

"Niles, I look horrible. My hair is a mess and I've been taking care of David all day and-."

"No… you're beautiful. You're even more beautiful than the first day I laid eyes on you."

She laughed. "Oh right, I was really beautiful with my baggy shirt and those horrid leggings!"

"I'd never seen anyone so breathtaking."

She smiled and then cradled his face in her hands. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."

His mouth curved and he realized that he was smiling as well. Only Daphne could have made him smile in this, his darkest hour. "You said that when I proposed, remember?"

"Yes, I do. And I still don't know what-"

"I'm the lucky one. I-." He paused, afraid that he might shatter into a million pieces, unable to say the words.

"Niles, why did you bring me in here?"

He took a deep breath. "There's something I need to tell you."

"All right."

He hated seeing her smile, knowing that within seconds she would be a complete basket case. But he leaned over and kissed her deeply. "I love you. I will always love you so very much."

"I love you too."

"I um… I came home from work early for a reason."

Her beautiful smile was breaking his heart even further and she touched his cheek with her fingertips. "I noticed you were home earlier than usual. Not that I'm complaining."

"Well, Mrs. Woodson came into my office and she said that…"

He paused, not sure if he would be able to go on.

"Yes?"

"She…."

"Niles, what is it? What's wrong?"

He swallowed hard. Telling Daphne that his father was gone was going to be one the hardest things he'd ever have to do; or one of them anyway.

"Brayburn Manor called."

He studied her face, but it was unreadable. And then he saw her swallow hard.

"I-I see… And that means…"

"I-."

She gasped and put her hand over her mouth, seconds before she burst into tears. "Oh Niles, no!"

"Daphne I'm sorry. I-."

"Oh my God, no… No, this can't be happening! No!"

"Daphne, Daphne…" He reached for her but she pulled away and he tried to remind himself that she was hurting; the gesture wasn't personal. She rose from the bed and began to pace the room. Looking at her, tears filled his eyes as well but he made no effort to brush them away. He rose to his feet and followed her.

"He loved you, Daphne. He loved you so much. I know he was stubborn about doing his exercises and so forth but he loved you like a daughter. And I will always be grateful for-."

When she sank to the floor and he went to her at once. "Daphne!"

She sobbed uncontrollably, curled up in a ball on the floor. He crouched down to her level and wrapped his arms around her, holding her trembling body while she cried. After a few moments, he gently lifted her up and carried her to the bed. He climbed onto the mattress and gathered her in his arms. They cried together, holding each other close. It was a moment that Niles would remember all of his life and it didn't seem fair that it took something like his father's death to bring he and Daphne so close.

"Martin… Martin!" Daphne sobbed, as Niles held her closer. He buried his face in her hair, sobbing as well. He cried for everything, as he had done after Mrs. Woodson told him the news. He said nothing, just held her and let her cry and he knew that she wouldn't let go until he had calmed as well.

Sometime during the night, her shudders stopped. The room was dark and he climbed out of bed, careful not to disturb her. Still wearing his wrinkled suit, he crept into the hallway and to the nursery to check on David. His angelic son was sound asleep, having no idea that his grandfather was gone or how much he was loved.

"Grandpa loved you, David. He loved you so much." He whispered, leaning to kiss David's cheek. He covered him with his Winnie the Pooh blanket and left the room. At the door he paused. "I love you too, David. You're the most wonderful gift I could ever imagine. ."


End file.
